Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) is looking for volunteers!
- BBBS offers a School Based Program that matches adult volunteers with a child in a local elementary school. The matched pair meets at the child's elementary school for 1 hour each week during the school year.
- BBBS will be opening a new mentoring program, the Oliver Hill Mentoring Program, in February and there will be many positions that could fit the needs of volunteers. Currently, their strongest need is in the Oliver Hill Mentoring Program.
Oliver Hill Mentoring Program
The Oliver Hill Mentoring Program is named in honor of Oliver W. Hill, a Roanoke native and civil rights attorney at the forefront of public school desegregation. His values of equality and education are the core principles of the Oliver Hill Mentoring Program. In this program, volunteers and children are matched in one-to-one relationships and visit with each other for one hour weekly at the Oliver Hill house, located at 401 Gilmer Ave in Roanoke. During this hour, the match activities might include playing board games, visiting the library, doing homework, taking part in special interest programs, or simply hanging out and talking. Visits are scheduled on a set day and time; Monday-Thursday between afterschool hours-6pm. Commitment: One year, one hour weekly. Age requirement to volunteer: 18
Additional volunteer opportunities at the Oliver Hill Mentoring Program include:
- Greeter– We want each and every visitor to the OHMP to feel welcomed. A volunteer Greeter will welcome and assist anyone that comes to the Hill house. He/she will also answer the phone, complete some administrative work, and keep track of Bigs and Littles as they come and go.
- Attendant– To keep the children engaged and excited throughout their time at the OHMP, we will provide many enrichment opportunities. A volunteer Attendant is needed to assist in these activities. An Attendant’s duties include helping with group projects, organizing arts and crafts, and preparing and distributing snacks.
- Tutor- An hour-long homework session will be held at the OHMP site on Mon-Thurs afternoons and volunteers are needed to assist students as they complete assignments. Homework assignments might include practicing spelling words, reading a book, or doing a math worksheet.
- Special Interest Presenter- Each week the OHMP hosts a different speaker to present a special skill or interest to the group of Littles. A presenter might discuss his/her career, a unique skill, or an educational topic. A volunteer is asked to give one presentation on four consecutive days (Mon-Thurs).
- Ambassador– In order to obtain more volunteers and donations, we need the help of a volunteer Ambassador to educate the community about the OHMP. An ambassador could raise awareness by distributing informational trading cards, hosting an information session at his/her workplace or church, and/or displaying the BBBS poster in his/her office.
School-Based Program
Bring back memories and return to elementary school for one hour each week! In this program, volunteers and children are matched in one-to-one relationships and visit with each other for one hour weekly during the regular school day at a local elementary school. Visits are scheduled on a set day/time each week. During this hour, the match activities might include eating lunch together, playing Monopoly, reading together, playing outside, doing homework, or hanging out and talking. Please note that you must be able to travel to an elementary school during the school day (8:00-2:00) and visit with a child for an hour. Commitment: one school year, one hour weekly. Age requirement to volunteer: 16
If you are interested in any of these volunteer opportunities with BBBS, please contact Jackie Smith (Director of the Roanoke Valley) at jsmith@bigslittles.org or (540) 345-9604, extension 15.